In other countries, this is called corruption. In Australia, it is the natural course of a political career. Via the AFR:
It wasn’t until several hours after the state government brought down the shutters on retail and construction in Victoria that the Australian Banking Association was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
With the vast majority of businesses forced to work at reduced capacity or from home, the Victorian government waited until dark before it confirmed it had granted the ABA’s wish list of jobs to be exempted from the toughest of restrictions.
…A copy of the ABA’s draft, seen by the Financial Review, shows the lobby group’s wish list and the state government’s list of approved roles to be virtually identical, right down to the number of bullet points.
…the banking lobby group has once again proven itself to be highly adept at navigating the labyrinthine nature of government decision making and delivering outcomes for its members that most industries can only dream of.
To wit, also at the AFR:
Hundreds of business leaders frustrated with the lack of clarity from the Victorian government over economic closures vented their concerns to the federal government in a series of live hook-ups on Tuesday night.
…The concerns cover almost every aspect of business and include supply and distribution, manufacturing, construction, organising permits for so-called “permitted workers”, IT, legal services, online retail, fuel and food delivery.
Over the past few years, God’s work for Evil Anna has included:
- undermining banking reform at every step;
- attacking bank taxes;
- nobbling the Hayne Royal Commission;
- trashing the responsible lending push, and
- queue-jumping amid a once per century pandemic.
It warms one’s heart to see an ex-premier on a full pension contributing so.
He is also a former gold trader and economic commentator at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, the ABC and Business Spectator. He is the co-author of The Great Crash of 2008 with Ross Garnaut and was the editor of the second Garnaut Climate Change Review.
- SMEs ain’t booming - March 4, 2021
- No post-recession hairshirt for Europe this time - March 4, 2021
- RIP gold. Killed by Bitcoin - March 4, 2021
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She made a fairly favourable impression in SE QLD during the 2011 floods. Surely she had better offers than the ABA. Just goes to show it really is about the money and the personal gain.
And some wonder why folk get cynical about politics.
Tears and headscarves is all it takes to be seen as a good leader these days.
if that’s a shot at the NZ PM she’s done a better job than the clown running the show here.
AFR gushing over overt cronyism again..they truly are the worst
They are
The evident purpose of “Labor” Anna Bligh is to make “Labor” Julia Gillard look caring and sharing.
Being a Labor PM or Labor Premier is as much a job application as a job in itself. Without wishing to name names, you do get the occasional alumnus or alumna that conducts themselves with a bit more class.
Anna Blight
Just business
She is a class traitor.
No she isn’t; she’s looked after her class very well indeed.